Door operating mechanism



May 4, W48. w. F. WEATHERS DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM 2 sheets-'sheet 1 Filed Deo. 8, 1945 www NW QW May 4, w48. w. F. WEATHERS 2,44L092 DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 8, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 2 ZUQT Patented May 4, 51948? DOOR UPERATING MECHANISM Warren F. Weathers, Detroit, Mich. Application December 8, 1945, Serial No. 633,667 16 Claims. (Cl. 'i4-25) This invention relates to door operating mechanisms, and in particular, to overhead door operating mechanism. n

One object of this invention is to provide an overhead door operating mechanism which occupies an unusually small overhead height, thereby making it especially well-adapted for installation in buildings with low ceilings, such as garages. Y y

Another object is to provide an overhead door operating mechanism which is relatively free from wearing parts and wherein the parts, even if worn, will continue to' function without seriously impairing the eiciency of the mechanism.

Another object is to provide an overhead door operating mechanism which is free from gearing and which operates silently and smoothly.

Another object is to provide an overhead door operating mechanism wherein the principal operating parts consist of an endless belt or cable wound in a spiral path around and frictionally engaging a drum or sha-ft, the resulting mechanism being cheap and simple to manufacture and therefore inexpensive to sell.

Another object is to provide an overhead operating mechanism as set forth in the preceding object wherein the spirally wound belt is supported by pulleys mounted on a carriage connected to the door and traveling on a track, for example an elongated member of angle cross-section, this track providing both a support and a protecting canopy for the shaft and its associated mechanism against dust or the weather.

Another object is to provide a modified door operating mechanism wherein the principal perating elements consist of a pair of endless belts or cables wound spiraliy around the shaft or drum in mutually perpendicular directions.

Another object is to provide a mechanical motion operable horizontally or vertically and comprising a guiding support engaged by a carriage having pulleys carrying an endless belt or cable, a portion of which is wound spirally around an elongated drum or shaft whereby when the shaft is rotated, the carriage travels along it or when the carriage is driven lengthwise of the shaft, the latter is rotated, the guiding support meanwhile preventing the carriage from rotating with the shaft as it'travels along the shaft or rotates the shaft.

, Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an overhead door yoperating mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, with the overhead support or rail removed to disclose the parts more clearly;

Figure 2 is a left-hand end elevation of the overhead Adoor operating mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the overhead door operating mechanism shown in Figure 1, with a portion thereof broken away to disclose the construction more clearly;

vFigure 4 is a longitudinal detailed section along the line -d of Figure 1; i

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a, complete overhead door unit actuated by the overhead door operator of the present invention; and

Figure 6 is a top plan view similar to Figure 1, but showing a modification thereof having double spirally wound belts, i

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1 to 5 inclusive show a preferred embodiment of the overhead door operating mechanism of this in- .vention as consisting of an operating carriage generally designated I0, traveling upon a horizontal guideway structure generally designated I I (Figures 2 and 3), and consisting of an elongated member I2 of L-shaped or angle cross-section having sides I3 inclined equally to the ver.

tical. These are secured as by Weldingfat I4 to plates I5 having holes I6 whereby the'guideway structure I I may be secured to an overhead building structure or to brackets secured to such a structure. By reason of its roof-like shape, the guideway structure I I additionally serves to cover and protect the mechanism beneath it from dust or the weather.

The operating carriage I0 has a base plate I'I with upturned sides and ends I8 and I9 respectively. The ends I9 are roughly triangular in shape (Figure 2) and carry journal bearings 20 secured thereto and having 'bores 2| rotationally supporting a shaft 22. Rising from the corners of the base plate I'I are uprights 23 (Figures 2 and 3) having reduced diameter portions 24 passing through bores 25 in the base plate I1 and upset or enlarged as at 26 to rigidly secure the uprights 23 to the base plate I1. The upper ends of the upights 23 are provided with reduced diameter portions 2I rotatably supporting pulleys 28 with V- grooved peripheries 29. The upper ends of the reduced diameter portions 21 are threaded` as at 30 to receive retaining nuts 3| and washers 32 for holding the pulleys 28 in position upon the uprights 23. In practice, thrust bearings would preferably be employed in cooperation with the washer 32 in order to sustain the axial load arising from the weight of the operator but these obvious mechanical details have been omitted for simplicity of showing.

Mounted in apertures 33 at opposite corners of the base plate |1 are two stub shafts 34, the lower ends of which are upset to secure them rigidly to the base plate |1. The stub shafts 34 carry Washers 35 and-nuts ,36 toretain' groovedl pulleys 31 mounted on the 'shafts 34 (Figure '3) Carried by the grooved pulleys 31 is an endless belt 38, the coils 39 of which spirally encircle the struck up from apertures 4| in tlrebase plate |1`, between which guides the spiralcoils; Y39pf` the, endless belt 38 pass.

Likewise mounted in an aperture 42 in the base plate |1 (Figure 3) and enlarged as atgltglse: cure it thereto is a pivot pin 44 having an enlarged head 45 and. carrying a Swiuenabrackst ef. roughly triangular fanali These@ jd, terrier offthe brket iicarri'es 'a stuhshaiiil having itslowerreduced diameter portion V48 passing through anuaperture 19in the bracketjll'gand uiet @3150. to "secure lt theretQ-f Thejuppsrend of the stub' 'shaft 41carries a reduced diameter portion 5| lupon whichmis mounted a grooved takeup pulley 52, simil/ar: to the'eQQved pulleys 31V and similarly held inp'ositiorifbyl a' washer 53. and retainingnut 54 threadeduporithe upper end of the stub shaft 41,; -Tne'thire corrierfof the bracket 46 is provided with'anuptllrnd'r 55 having a hole 56 (Figure 3)" serving as an anchorage for one end Ofa'COilSpriIjle 5L the opposite end of' whichis anchored in'ahole Edin an ear 59 struck up from th'e base' plate 1 v(Fig, ure 1)v and leaving an aperture 6|), therein.,

Secured by the fasteners A6| to apertures Siin one end of the base plate |1`an1cl` depending'therefrom (FigureZ)V is a bracket 63havi g l'aifurcated4 arms M iorming a yoke and having'transverse bores; 65 rorthe 'reception ofiapivq toit scheid' infposition by` a retaining; 'niitwlhv Pivtally mounted uponthe pivot bolt6 b'e,tween the arms Ellis an operating link or'connec'ting'rdd 8,82 ,'The opposite en d of the link $8 is'pivotally-conncted esatta Figure 5)f tofa'nfear in seeurjed taule upper parie! 1| 0f anbvtrhaddar gnsrallyf designated 12%.. The uppr' panel 1|. adjacent there@ 'lll carries a 'bracket '13 securedv thewreftoy by the fasteners 14, and, farlrynal its wel: earl .a puller 15 engaging. wat'rasfkelaad. 1l- Thje remaining panels 1| ofthe door 12 havehar n '1 s, '|,|3 4 arid 19 bolted thereif and4 pivatallr cneasmeat their outer ends ,pivot'pinsll forming axles for., pulleys 8|. The'door 12 is arranged in its lower, position tovclose a door opening 82,(Figure Y5 )Vrin a building, Vgenerally designatedr83, and having a lintel 84 secured` tothe uprightframelmembers 85, the latter of which alsovcarries thupper ironty wall 86 of the building 83.

Balied t theliprislltiramemembers 85ers brackets 81,l the outer` ends of which supportV the tracks 11 vat thepoint where vtheir vertical and' horizontal portions join., Also bolted to the up+ rights 83 is an angle/bracket, 881ml which is bolted a, motor 89 having a shaft 98 carrying` a drive pulleyA 9| driving a be1t192 whichL encirclesla pulley 93, thekhubgof which is drivingly secured to one end of Vthe,shaft, 22,'l The shaft Z2 is:ro tatably; supported at its, Vopposite Yends in .bearing brackets or shaft hangersY 94secured tothe opposite ends o the; rail-structure V'The' railvv structure Ais in turnsupported by the. plates?V shaft 22 andy are guided therein by parallel guides 4|l (,Figu`re 1l |5 which are bolted to angle members 95 (Figure 5), these in turn being bolted to uprights 96 depending from and secured at their upper ends to the stringers 91. The lower 'ends of the uprights 95 are connected to and support the tracks 16 and 11 in which the pulleys 15 and 8| travel. It will be understood that tracks 16 and 11 are provided at opposite sides of the door opening 82, one side only being shown in Figure 5.^ The lower ends of the guide ,tracks 16 and llare connected to and supported bya horizontal frame member 98 secured to the upright frame member 99 forming one of th'e sides of the, door operiing 82. The lowermost door panel 1|"is provided with a bracket |90 bolted thereto V`-in"a manner similar to the bracket 13 and simi- 16 and 1-1,

The modification shown in Figure 6 is generally similar to the principal form of th'e invention Shawn in Figures. .1 t0.' 5 inclusive,.and;imi1ar partsjarej similarly designated-[ The door. oia.: tor ||l`a` of the' vmodification shQWivin Figure .6, however, is providedl with a Second belt and as'- Scqiatedj mechanisnlilsimilar tol. that. off the first belt.''. heae 'is'. designated similarly to une'. ma belt; 'Sf'by numerals tb. Wliihlarcannended 12.11 suing a." The secbh'd bilt zfeneircles' vthe. shaft 22 in a, 'manner similar t that of the first belt 38 namely, in spiral coils 39a alternatingwith the spiralfeous' sa pf the 'niet belt 38... The' twg ,neus 384.21m 384er?Similarlrfsupiiottcd etsii@ pulleysjlandflaj what @seaweed ever,` they are directl supported, by thetake-,up Pulleys 52 and.asimiiirlr-mounieclupfm ,bracketsflliV and 46%@ piwtmembers Hand 44a; and having similar ,annum ci ears. Stand 'rae latter, hewn/e1; are. intercormcted'by the, opnositefendsof a singlecoil spring v51 although, obvlf, Qualif individual-o1l. springs. @Ould be. @malerei as atg51in l1*"iillle., 1. The brackets 46 and 48a in FglllQ 6. empf. Slightlyidicrentputlne H9111. the bracket 4 Grin Figure but operateuporrthe same principle for thesame purpqse, namly;of takingupkthe slack inv the belts 3 8' a nd 38a. and tei-signing thesebelts...

Operation of the zjnuerntzfc-zzz'v larly carryingmapulley |0| engaging the tracks parallel, guides@ on the base planer 1..

AS the shaft 22 rotates. the, spiralsoils darauf. vases.. Ianeiiirinallr in .a spiral. pain. alena the. shafty 22 effecting I a linear motion of, the`,door operata?, I0. which thereby servesas a carriage. traveling upon andv suspended from the. guide; railtruiure il l fASfthe .cigar Operator, .lil travels.. rearwardly alone. hs-snide. rail Structure LI- Fiee ure 5 itslineanmotionis transmitted. tothe upper Panel 1I of the door ltth-roughltheA con- L necting rod 68. This action raises the door-121.4 andgqauses .the pulleys 15 8| andllllto v'rcllalon'g and betwccnhetracksl and,11', .theearm`s 1 8.. and 1&9, pivotingawayirom, eachother slightly. as the bends in the tracks 16 and 11 are'traversed.' When 'all pan'elslltpfthe. door 'TI-havc-p'sSd single belt door operator over the path from, the vert-ical 4portions ofthev tracks16 and 11 to the overhead horizontalportions thereof, the door operator lllencounters la limit switch (not shown) or other conventional means of halting the drive to the shaft 22, such as de-energizing the motor 8| and terminating thev travel of the overhead door 1.2 -in its raised position shown by the chain-linesin Figure 5.

vTo lower the door 12 a conventional reversing switch (not shown) is.employed to reverse the direction of -rotation of the motor 89, thereby reversing the direction of rotation of the shaft 22 and causing the door operator I to `move along `the guide rail structure i I frointhe chain line position (Figure tothe solid line positionthereof. This motion is transmitted tothe door 12 through the connecting rod 68, lowering the door 12 into avertical position where it closes the door opening 82.? When the door reachesv thisposition, either the door orthe door operator I0 or mechanism connected thereto operates a second limit-.switch in a-'conventional manner -(not shown) lto halt the rotation ofthe motor 89 and shaft 22.' `The electrical circuit and limit switches for energizing and controlling the motor 89 are conventional andwell-known to those skilled in the art and their details form no part of the present invention.

The operation of the modified forml shown in Figure 6 issimilar to that'just described in connection withthe form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive and accomplishes a similar result. Due to the fact that two belts 38v and 38a spirally encircle the shaft 22, approximately twice the gripping effect is created and hence the door operator Illa of Figure 6 is much more powerful than the single belt door operator l0 of Figures 1 to 5 inclusive. Consequently, the double belt door operator la may be used to raise heavier doors 12-or may be employed in climates where extremes of cold and dust or sand form icel or dirt which increase the load upon the mechanism. The more powerful door operator Illa of Figure 6, however, occupies almost the same space as the Ill of Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, hence may be mounted in buildings having similar restricted space overhead. In either of the door operating mechanisms of this vinvention, it will be seen that so little space is required for mounting the door operators I0 or Illa that the height of the building may be reduced below that normally required, thereby resulting in economy of construction of the building 83 as well as in the economy of manufacture of the door operators themselves, due to their simplicity of cong struction.

While I hav-e shown and described my invention in detail, it is to be understood that the same is to be limited only by the appended claims, for many changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Whatlclaimis:

1. A door operating Idevice for buildings comprising an elongated guideway structure attachable to the building, a carriage movable along said guideway structure, a shaft mounted co-directionally with said guideway structure, means for rotating said shaft, an endless belt having portions thereof spirally encircling said shaft, and means on said carriage for supporting said belt.

2. A door operating device for buildings comprising an elongated guideway structure attachable to the building. a carriage movable along said guideway structure, a shaft mounted co-directionally with said guideway structure, means for rotating said shaft, an endless belt having portions thereof 'spirally encircling said shaft, and ,a plurality of pulleys mounted on said carriage on opposite sides of said shaft for supporting said belt.

3. A 'door operating device for buildings comprising an elongated guideway structure -attachable to the building, a carriage movable along said guideway structure, a shaft mounted co-directionally with said guideway structure, means for rotating said shaft, an endless belt having portions thereof spirally encircling said shaft, means on said carriage for supporting said belt, and means on said carriage for guiding said belt into spiral'engagement with said shaft.

' 4. A door operating device for buildings comprising an elongated guideway structure attachable to the building, a carriage movable along said guideway structure, a shaft mounted co-directionally with said guideway structure, means for rotating said shaft, an endless belt having portions thereof spirally encircling said shaft, means on said carriage for supporting said belt, and means on said carriage adjacent said spiral belt portions for guiding said belt into spiral engagement with said shaft.

5. A door operating device for buildings comprising an elongated guideway structure attachable to the building, a carriage movable along said guideway structure, a shaft mounted co-directionally with said guideway structure, means for rotating said shaft, an endless belt having portions thereof spirally encircling said shaft, a plurality of pulleys mounted on said carriage on opposite sides of said shaft for supporting said belt, and means on said carriage for guiding said belt into spiral engagement with said shaft.

6. A door operating device for buildings comprising an elongated guideway structure attachable to thebuilding, a carriage movable along said guideway structure, a shaft mounted co-directionally with' said guideway structure, means for rotating. said shaft, an endless belt having portions thereof spirally encircling said shaft, a plurality of 'pulleys mounted on said carriage on .opposite sides of said shaft for supporting said belt, and means on said carriage adjacent said spiral belt portions for guiding said belt into spiral engagement with said shaft.

'7. A door operating device for buildings comprising an elongated guideway structure attachable to the building, a carriage movable along said .guideway structure, a shaft mounted co-directionally with said guideway structure, means for rotating said shaft, an endless belt having portions thereof spirally encircling said shaft, a plurality of pulleys mounted on said carriage on opposite sides of said shaft for supporting said belt, and guides on said carriage engaging the opposite sides of said belt adjacent said spiral belt portions on said shaft.

8. A door `operating device for buildings comprising an elongated guideway structure attachable to the building, a carriage movable along said guideway structure, a shaft mounted co` directionally with said guideway structure, means for rotating said shaft, an endless belt having portions thereof spirally encircling said' shaft, means on said carriage for supporting said belt, and yieldingly urged means on said carriage for tightening said belt.

9. A door operating device for buildings comprising an elongated guideway structure attachable to the building, a carriage movable along said guideway structure, a shaft mounted codirectionally with said guideway structure, means portions :thereof Aspitally encircling: said; "s'hti arplurality of -pulleys lmountedon said f'carriage'Lon--E opposite sides of said shaft for supporting saidA belt, and means for yieldingly urging 'one of 'sa-id pulleys into.- tightening Aengagemei'ztA .withV said; belt.

10.A doorA operating device for;y buildings com' prisingzan elongated guideway structure attafh-4 able to :the Abuilding-, y a .carriage` `movable :along said. guideway structure; a shaft: mounted co.y directionally. withsaid .guideway structureymeans for rotating saidv shaft, Vacpair of; lendlessmbelts having portions thereof: .spirally' encircling. 'said shaft; and ,means onssaid carriage: forsupporting said belts;A

11. :.A :door operating device for: buildings. come` prising an elongatedzfguidewayl /structuitevattaclrw able to ,the Ibuilding, a .carriage `movable'. along:

said V-guidiewray vstructure,.1axshaftimounted: cof:

directionally with said guideway structure; means: for :rotating said'.'shat, 2 av pair lofendless-:belts having portions Athereof spirallyz encircling` said: shaft inalternate convolutionsfrespectively;; andA means on said carriage forfsupportingtsaidbelts;

12. A dooroperatingdevice -for buildings. comprising wan4 relongated. guideway structurev attach able; to the building; a carriage movable lalong` said -guideway structure, aI shaft-mountedrcoe; directionally-wi-th, said-guideway structure, means? for'. rotating said sl'iaftia pair ofv endlessbelts having portions thereof vspiral1y-encircling said shaft inf alternate convolutions respectivelyr di reetedtoward-said shaft -from l opposite sides thereof, andl means onY said carriage-for sup-.1- porting saidloelts.:

13. A .doeioperating device 'for `buildingscoinprising anelongated guidewaystructure attach--r able said directionally with: saidzguideway structure, `means for. rotatingA said shaft, a pair of endless-belts-A to the building,V a carriage'l movable along.` guidewaystructure; a shaft mounted-rco# 40.; 222151,673w:

hvigapeiitiesseterea-rspivauyieareime -Ysai'i snaai: .im ener-nasse conventions-s respeentely;

meansfonlsaidfearriage E'fof'fsuppo'rftixig#lsaiti tenis-f,`

mounted Ton saidinamage and-fh'avi-ng :1a portion' thereof'spirallys'enclrcling said snafwmeans' "on satdcemiagefonrsuppoting .saidbelty and means preventing rotation fof; said carriage .with said shaft while' -itr'aveling-therealoiigl; f

15.1? Afrneehanieal motion! comprising *a shaft, 'a

caer-ieee adiaent saicl'` shaft;I anffendless.`4` belt .mounted".nnfsaidiearriag and having fa' portion theretrll.'slzvirfalljr` -enoiroling f said vsl-laila pulleyson saidfeariliagef.-forsupportinasaid belt; and vmeans fon preventngmotationv'offsaidfcairiage 'with said' shaft4 wlilie travel-ing .thema-long. f,

16. Amechanical f-inotionf 'comprisinga --shaftg afoalrifiag'e,fadjadentf said shaft;r pulleys v-inounted onfsaidfhariagewa :pai-r: 'off endless vbelts mounted onfsaidrpulleyshaving rpotlonsspii'aHy encircling said shaltl iw-alternate `convohitions respectively for" preventing' `rotatiorr'oi 'sa-idV shaft. whilev traveling VWA-RRENl F: `WEATHERS;

REERENGES=` CITEDl The fouwmezrefeences vare' 'ef--recom'- in the ille-of" thifsfpatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

